The most famous openly gay footballer speaks out about the LGBT armband controversy
Former Stuttgart and Germany national team player Thomas Hitzlsperger, the most famous footballer to come out as gay, has spoken out about the controversial incidents surrounding the Rainbow Laces campaign, reports the Daily Mail.
The German ex-footballer suggested that less attention should be paid to the fact that some players refuse to participate in LGBT initiatives, and instead, focus on the many who support the LGBTQ+ community.
"So let's switch the direction of focus. A rejection of the armband can arguably have a negative effect on the community. The near majority of captains wear the armbands, players wear warm-up shirts and jackets in rainbow colours. Let's applaud them for taking a stance against division and fighting discrimination and look at the positive developments over the years," said Hitzlsperger.
Hitzlsperger came out in January 2014, after he had already retired from football. He shared that the process of accepting his sexuality was very difficult and lengthy for him.
Yasmine Green
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
